South Africa, does every service require tipping?
We know that in the service industry there is an acceptable level of tipping required, but to what extent?
Tipping in the service industry isn't something that we are unfamiliar with, although it is a contested topic. A topic that has many people on the fence is the value of tipping.
According to a travel website, "The amount you tip in South Africa will depend on where you are and what type of services you’re buying. As a general rule, expect to tip around 10% of the bill. If you get exceptionally good service, say thank you with a tip closer to 15-20%."
Where the topic of how much to tip has always been something shared across social media, now we turn the mic over to a different question: "Does everything require a tip nowadays?"
"It’s normal to tip for good service in restaurants, bars, and cafes in South Africa - especially in touristy or business areas. Tips are also appreciated in hotels and serviced apartments - and other places where staff may not be so well rewarded, like spas or salons." (Wise)
Traditionally, there has been a line between industries where it is expected for a customer to tip. Although we are familiar with people who do tip outside of the leisure industry, we wouldn't say it is mandatory.
The question was posed by Kn9ne9 on Reddit.
Does everything require a tip nowadays?
byu/Kn9ne9 insouthafrica
Read more: Patron tips waiter R5 on a R480 bill!
The question to tip or not to tip has become a bit more complex it seems. Check out some of the comments:
- "They're trying to nomralise American tipping culture here. I had the same experience when I tried Starbucks for the first and only time. The machine forced me to choose tip amount before allowing me to pay, ridiculous. The dude made me a takeaway coffee, why the heck must I tip him for doing his job?"
- "I actually asked a Starbucks employee if he ever saws these tips. he told me in the 6 months he had worked there, never even once. It was one of those random little ones in a Checkers where only 1-2 people work."
- "Just select zero... it really is that easy. Stop this kak before it gets worse."
- "I’ll be honest, I’m just too scared I’ll get spit in my coffee or something like that."
- "Any business that expects you to tip people for doing the jobs they were hired to do is basically just advertising that they don’t pay their employees a proper living wage. And it’s really getting out hand."
The majority of people felt like this was not acceptable considering you already have to pay for your item, which sometimes includes a service charge.
What do you think? Let us know by taking part in the poll above...
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